Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis donates ‘game-changing’ money to damage-hit club.
The Premier League club’s owner has criticised the ‘deplorable’ actions of people who trashed the facilities of Pelican Colts FC
Nottingham Forest’s owner has given a “game-changing” sum of money to a community football club while condemning the “deplorable” actions of people who damaged its facilities. On September 12, dozens of caravans left the Dave Eastwood Sports Ground on Lenton Lane, leaving Pelican Colts FC with damaged toilet blocks, water, and a pitch covered with excrement.
The Travellers had been in place for about a week, and the damage inflicted left the club with repair bills of up to £10,000. A public fundraising website has previously garnered tremendous support, but the club has now received a big boost.
“I hope our contribution will help you develop and improve your facilities, ensuring that Pelican Colts FC continues to thrive as a friendly venue for young aspiring players in our community. Together, we can turn this terrible occurrence into a chance for growth and rejuvenation.”
In a letter to the club’s chairman, Steve Chaplin, dated September 18, the Forest owner stated, “I was saddened to hear about the recent vandalism that has caused considerable damage to your club and its facilities.” It’s incredibly disheartening to see a location that represents so much to so many individuals in our community treated to such despicable behaviour…
“I hope our contribution will assist you in developing and improving your facilities, ensuring that Pelican Colts FC continues to prosper as a welcoming location for young, aspiring footballers in our community. Together, we can transform this awful event into an opportunity for growth and regeneration.”
“It allows us to invest in projects that go well beyond the damage repairs. It will not only cover the cost of a new toilet and paint, but it will also allow us to do so much more.”
The GoFundMe page set up to support the club itself has now collected more than £9,000 as of writing, including £1,000 from former Forest player Brennan Johnson, who is now at Tottenham Hotspur and scored the winning goal in last night.
Mr Hatton went on to say that the club had gone “as far as it can go” in terms of security upgrades to prevent future damage. A Nottingham Forest representative stated, “The club was shocked to learn of the scale of vandalism perpetrated on such a beloved community asset.” The Pelican Colts are an important part of this city’s grassroots sports community.
The club’s owner, Evangelo Marinakis, immediately reached out to support the reconstruction efforts, as expected. Nottingham Forest is extremely delighted to have an owner who cares about our community and is passionate about assisting people in times of need.”
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